1179 Webster Street, P.O. Box 279, Tecumseh, NE 68450

(402) 335-2988 – Voice (402) 335-3747 – Facsimile

Providing Services in Cass, Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee, Richardson, and Thayer Counties

History of Family Health Services, Inc.

On February 5, 1973 the corporation of Southeast Nebraska Family Planning Association, Inc. came into existence. The incorporator’s were Dr H.C. Stewart. Dr. Keith Shuey, Ms. Jeanette Miller, Ms. Patricia Tagart, and Ms. Sharon Parrish. The mission of Southeast Nebraska Family Planning was to provide “medical examinations, contraceptive counseling, contraceptive provision and anything related to family planning for low income women”. The agency also offered a limited number of permanent sterilizations. The first personnel for the agency were Ms. Jean Auxier, Director; Ms. Norma Blankenship, Outreach Worker; Ms. Loris Stewart, Outreach worker; and Ms. Patricia Tagart, Secretary.

In the beginning patients made appointments with the physician of their choice. The physician would then bill Southeast Nebraska Family Planning Association. Contraceptives were supplied to the participating doctors. Dr. Keith Shuey was instrumental in establishing this service for women in Southeast Nebraska.

Outreach workers would write newspaper articles on different health topics, and would be responsible for providing the communities with information on the services available through Southeast Nebraska Family Planning Association. Each month Outreach Workers would ensure that posters were hung in appropriate places.

Throughout the early history of Southeast Nebraska Family Planning Association it was often referred to as Family Health Services. The agency pursued legally changing its name in May 1979. An agency named Family Health Care Inc. was in existence in Omaha, and the Secretary of State felt that the names were so similar that Southeast Nebraska Family Planning Association would need consent from Family Health Care Inc. to use the name Family Health Services, Inc. Consent was obtained and the agency changed their bylaws to reflect the new name on June 18, 1979. The new name was officially recorded with the State of Nebraska on October 16, 1979.

The new name was a much more accurate description of the agency as the agency had added WIC supports in 1978. The WIC program provides nutrition education/counseling and healthy foods to Women, Infants, and Children through a United States Department of Agriculture grant.

From the inception of providing WIC services in 1978 to 1987 the WIC and Family Planning programs were housed together at 298 Broadway. Because of the growth of the two agencies in mid 1987 WIC moved to 320 Broadway and Family Planning remained at 298 Broadway. Once the programs were physically split they naturally migrated toward the look of two agencies rather than one agency with two departments. Even with the two locations both departments remained in tight quarters. For a short period of time both Family Planning and WIC were housed in the very limited space available at 320 Broadway. Family Planning then moved to 185 S. 3^rd Street.

In early 1994 a larger space that could accommodate both programs was found and both programs were moved to 186 S. 4^th Street. The space was still not adequate, but it did allow for both programs to be housed together. Because of responsible fiscal management the agency in February 1999 was able to move into a new building that had been designed for their needs and had adequate room to accommodate growth. The time devoted to finding such space has proved to be worth the effort, as the agency again has moved to being one agency and is looking to expand upon the services provided. In August 2000 a new mission statement “Family Health Services, Inc. will administer programs designed to assist residents of Southeast Nebraska in obtaining and maintaining a healthy lifestyle for themselves and their families” was adopted. The focus of the agency will be shifting from primarily serving young women and young children to providing public health services to all residents of Southeast Nebraska.

Through the years the agency experienced phenomenal growth. From a budget of $82,191.00 in fiscal year 1978 to serve an estimated 1284 clients to a budget of $1,200,000.00 in fiscal year 2006 to serve approximately 4,500 people.

Currently Family Health Services, Inc. offers services in Cass, Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee, Richardson, and Thayer Counties.

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